Belt buckle



July 28, 1925. 1,547,540

T. D. WALKER BELT BUCKLE Filed. oct; .51, 1924 un ATTORNEY Patented July 28, .1925.

THOMAS D. WALKER, OF NEW BRITAIN,

PATENT OFFICE.

CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, T0' NORTH & J UDD MFG. CO., OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, A COR- PORATION 0F CONNECTICUT. j

BELT BUCKLE.

Application led October 31, 1924. Serial No. 747,044.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, THOMAS D. WALKER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at New Britain, Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Belt Buckle, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in belt buckles, the object being simplicity of construction and ease and convenience of operation.

In the accompanying drawings- Fig. l is a View of the rear side of the buckle, partly broken away;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the buckle as in use with a belt;

Fig. 3 is a similar view of the buckle only showing the parts in a different position from that shown in Fig. 2. n

l represents the front or face plate of the buckle, which is preferably made fromr sheet metal. 2-2 are rearwardly extending side flanges. 3 is a plate, preferably flexible, which is suitably mounted at the back of the buckle, for example by studs 4 4, sufficient clearance being provided to form a belt passage for the adjustable end of the belt 5. 6 is a lever pivoted at 8 to the flanges 2-2. To the free end of lever 6 is secured the fixed end of a belt 5, any suitable means being provided therefor such as a clamp 9, commonly used in the art. 10-10 are ears at the free end of the plate 3 to which ears a toggle is pivoted. This toggle is preferably angular in form and comprises a long arm ll and a short arm orl tail piece lla which functions to limit the swing of the toggle in one direction.

The operation is as follows: When the buckle is open the parts stand, as in Fig. 3.

The free end of the belt 5 is slid through the buckle from the left to the right, as it appears in said view. lVhen the proper belt adjustment has been effected, the lever 6 is swung into the position shown in Fig. 2. This applies pressure to the rear of the plate 3, forcing it, and the toggle arm 11, toward the belt, so that a backward strain on the belt will cause said toggle arm 11 to swing in a direction to bite into the same as shown. In the preferred form, in which the plate 3 is flexible, the adjustable end of the belt will also be frictionally held by the surfaceV engagement of the same therewith, as shown in Fig. 2. In this form I provide, in effect, two means for holding the belt, to wit, the4 plate 3 itself, which furnishes a moderate degree of surface frictional engagement, and the toggle 1l, which furnishes additional frictional engagement.

It will be observed that, by reason of the construction herein described, the buckle will securely and effectively hold belts of Y all thicknesses.

What I claim'is:

l. In a buckle, a face plate having rearwardly directed flanges forming a belt passage between them, a flexible belt gripping plate mounted at one end between said flanges, the other end of said belt gripping plate being free, a belt gripping toggle pivoted to the free end of said belt grip-` ping plate, an operating lever pivoted to said anges at the rear of the belt gripping plate and engaging said plate intermediate its length to force the same and said toggle toward the face plate.

2. In a buckle, a face plate having rearwardly directed flanges forming a belt passage between them, a flexible belt gripping plate mounted between said flanges, one end of said plate being free, a belt gripping device pivoted to said flexible plate adjacent its free end, an operating lever pivoted to said flanges'at the rear of the belt gripping plate and engaging said plate intermediate its length to force the same and said gripping device toward the face plate to grip a belt.

THOMAS D. WALKER. 

